1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an archery bow armguard for use in connection with shooting an archery bow. The archery bow armguard has particular utility in protecting the forearm of an archer shooting an archery bow, shielding the forearm throughout the entire path of a bowstring as it drives an arrow forward.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When an archer shoots an archery bow, the bowstring tends to shear the forearm of the archer as it drives an arrow forward. Because the bowstring travels with a great amount of force, it presents a serious hazard to the archer. In fact, the bowstring can cause significant bodily harm to the archer. Additionally, a strike from the bowstring may cause the archer to move his arm, decreasing shooting accuracy. Furthermore, the archer's clothing may interfere with the bowstring, causing injury to the archer or decreased shooting accuracy.
In response to the hazards of shooting an archery bow, forearm mounted armguards have first been developed in the art. The armguards were attached to the interior of the forearm. Although these armguards shielded the archer's arm from the bowstring, they were uncomfortable and difficult to secure to the forearm. Moreover, if the archer needed to change clothing, the armguard had to be removed and re-secured.
To counteract the shortcomings of forearm-mounted armguards, bow-mounted armguards were developed. The reader is directed to two U.S. patents of particular relevance: U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,008 issued Aug. 11, 1992 to Anthony Taylor; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,002 issued Nov. 7, 1995 to Camilien Lavoie.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,008 to Taylor discloses an armguard designed for integral mounting to an archery bow's frame. However, the Taylor '008 patent is crude in design. Specifically, the shape and assembly of the Taylor '008 armguard makes it possible for the bowstring to lodge itself between the armguard and the archer's forearm. For example, if the adjustable mounting plate is improperly assembled it could interfere with the path of the bowstring, increasing the probability of injury to the archer or decreasing shooting accuracy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,002 to Lavoie discloses another armguard designed to be integrally mounted to an archery bow's frame. However, improper assembly or adjustment could cause interference with the path of the bowstring, increasing the probability of injury to the archer or decreasing shooting accuracy. Specifically, two points of assembly or adjustment are hazardous, the sliding member to stabilizer shaft interface and the stabilizer shaft to bow frame interface. First, there is no way to ensure the sliding member (box-like casing) is properly aligned on the stabilizer shaft. If the sliding member is not properly aligned, it is likely that the shield member will interfere with the path of the bowstring. Additionally, there is no way to ensure the sliding member will not rotate on the stabilizer shaft while the archer is shooting. If the sliding member rotates while the archer is shooting, it is likely that the shield member will interfere with the path of the bowstring. Second, there is no way to ensure that the stabilizer shaft is properly aligned with the bow frame. If the stabilizer shaft is not properly aligned with the bow frame, the shield member will likely interfere with the path of the bowstring. Although the sliding member could be adjusted to offset improper stabilizer shaft alignment, that creates a circular problem regarding alignment of the sliding member itself.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe an archery bow armguard that provides protection to an archer's arm throughout the path of a bowstring. Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved archery bow armguard that can be used for protection to an archer's arm throughout the path of a bowstring. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the archery bow armguard according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of protecting an archer's arm throughout the path of a bowstring.